The atmosphere became tense. After a long pause, Ruan Qing'an said, "Alright."
Shen Changlin bowed and knelt down, proclaiming in a loud voice—
"I am a mortal, Shen Changlin, and I beg an immortal to guide me into the path of cultivation!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard no sound. Shen Changlin couldn't help but feel nervous. But the next moment, he felt the other person pat his head. His heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked up at her.
Under the night sky tinged with firelight, a lofty immortal bends down, as if carrying thousands of starlight, while she is as aloof and noble as the bright moon—the immortal touches my head, and I receive eternal life.
A warm breath rushed in, and his injuries completely healed. He even saw that the stains on his body had disappeared.
A spotless robe covered his body, covering the rough linen clothes that had been torn by the bandits. This single act was something you wouldn't even imagine in a storybook...
He looked at her subconsciously, his eyes filled with admiration.
The tall, slender woman straightened up, her red lips parted slightly, and her clear, aloof voice reached his ear.
My name is Nguyen Thanh An.
“The name Qing’an is taken from the phrase ‘Yi once shot down nine crows, and the heavens and the people were at peace.’ When you enter the Ten Thousand Paths Sect, you may call me Elder Ruan.”
Yi shot down nine crows, and the heavens and the people were at peace.
Qing, An.
Shen Changlin silently thought to himself, "It really is a good name."
Just like her, even her name sounds pleasant. Thinking this to himself, Shen Changlin bowed again and called out in a very proper manner, "Elder Ruan."
Looking at the boy's obedient and sincere appearance, Ruan Qing'an's eyes flickered slightly, and she sighed inwardly.
037: [What's wrong, ancestor?]
"It feels like bullying a child."
037 really wanted to add, "Don't be so sure of yourself. This is an avatar of the Supreme God; be careful he doesn't get 'bullied' by a child..."
But Ruan Qing'an was unaware of the system's thoughts. She straightened up, raised her hand slightly, and an invisible force pulled Shen Changlin to his feet: "No need for formalities, let's leave here for now."
"Yes, Elder Ruan."
Shen Changlin stopped speaking and stood beside Ruan Qing'an.
Ruan Qing'an then looked at the sky full of flames. She paused, then slightly raised her hand. Her plain white Taoist robe sleeves seemed to overturn the heavens and earth. The next moment, a torrential rain fell from the sky, extinguishing the raging flames instantly, revealing the scorched earth under the cover of night.
Even if the fire is extinguished, the ruins of the village are long gone, leaving only traces scattered on the ground.
Nguyen Thanh An looked at the scene before him thoughtfully.
037: [Is there a problem here, ancestor?]
"In the original text, there shouldn't have been such an incident. After the bandits killed the villagers, they left directly, and Shen Changlin came out of the cellar and escaped. In short, there shouldn't have been a fire here, and it's impossible that all the bandits and villagers were killed!"
"It's like... a mysterious and powerful figure intervened."
Ruan Qing'an paused, his heart sinking slightly, as if something had slipped out of his control, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Thinking of this, she subconsciously looked at Shen Changlin.
The boy had not yet fully grown, and his height only reached Ruan Qing'an's shoulder, but one could already vaguely see his extraordinary future. At this moment, he was staring intently at the ruins, and even though he was trying his best to hide his sorrow, he was still a young man, and his hands were still clenched tightly.
Shen Changlin gritted his teeth. Even though all the bandits were dead, the hatred and the sense of powerlessness he felt towards his own weakness lingered.
Just then, a clear and pleasant voice rang out.
"The past cannot be retrieved, and its memory lingers."
"If you dwell on past hatred and don't focus on improving your current strength, this situation will only happen again in the future. Only by strengthening yourself can you grasp what you desire."
Upon hearing this, Shen Changlin trembled.
He broke free from boundless hatred, his mind clearing in an instant. He cupped his hands in thanks to Ruan Qing'an, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Ruan."
Ruan Qingan did not say much, but simply nodded slightly.
The original owner was aloof and not talkative. It was only because Shen Changlin's identity was special and he was valued by Zhan Hongyuan, the sect leader of Wandao Sect, that he spoke more. Otherwise, his character would have collapsed long ago.
but--
Ruan Qingan thought for a moment and then asked, "Shen Changlin, do you know what happened here, and how the villagers and bandits died?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Changlin shook his head: "Reporting to Elder Ruan, when the bandits broke in, I suddenly fainted for some reason, and when I woke up, this was the scene before me."
"Never mind, we'll find out later."
Ruan Qingan sighed softly and stopped dwelling on the matter.
If it really has something to do with Shen Changlin, it will definitely show signs later. If it has nothing to do with Shen Changlin, then she doesn't need to care at all and can deal with it later.
At this moment, Shen Changlin asked in a low voice, "Elder Ruan, do you know where the Myriad Paths Sect is, and when will we return?"
"No rush, you are just a mortal and need to rest."
As Ruan Qing'an spoke, he suddenly reached out to Shen Changlin: "Shrinking the earth to an inch is just a simple technique, but your body is weak and you cannot resist the movement of space. You need to stay close to me."
"Yes, Elder Ruan."
Shen Changlin pursed his lips, somewhat at a loss, and placed his hand on it.
The next moment—the scene before him was blurry, and in the blink of an eye, Shen Changlin realized that he had arrived in a small town outside the village, just a few steps away from the inn.
And none of the other people around noticed.
This tactic left Shen Changlin in awe.
He instinctively looked at Ruan Qing'an beside him. The woman's eyes were cold and aloof, as if she was looking at something on the street and didn't pay any attention to him. Following her gaze, he saw only a vendor selling candied hawthorns.
Shen Changlin didn't dare to ask any more questions, but he looked at her cautiously.
So much has happened in such a short time, but Shen Changlin knows that only by gaining power can he prevent the same things from happening in the village again and control his own destiny.
The person who saved his life, Ruan Qing'an, brought with him an opportunity.
Thinking of this, Shen Changlin's gaze towards Ruan Qing'an changed slightly—it was gratitude, admiration, and even ambition!
One day, he will become as powerful as her!
...
While Ruan Qing'an was in a daze, only 037 was quietly observing Shen Changlin's subtle changes, recalling the main god's personality.
037 couldn't help but sigh, "Another wolf cub..."
[Ancestors, there's something I want to say, but I'm unsure whether I should.]
"Then let's not talk about it."
037：(*?????)
Noticing 037's tearful expression, Ruan Qing'an didn't pay much attention. The little mascot probably wanted to complain.
She then said, "I'm thinking about more important things."
"Shen Changlin seems quite innocent and somewhat law-abiding. He doesn't ask many questions or think much, as if he's letting me drag him around. If he becomes my apprentice, would he dare to break down the barrier between master and apprentice? It's really a headache..."
"Besides, now, he has both saved my life and helped me enter the Dao. He is very fond of me, which will make things difficult for me in the future."
Thinking of this, Ruan Qing'an couldn't help but pinch the bridge of her nose.
037: ...Ancestor, do you really need to worry about this issue?
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